A Certain Feel of Fate
by Wrathie Winsre
Summary: When Fate and Illusion cloud the world, three heroes have to walk through a blood-stained field once again.
1. Premonition

A Certain Feel of Fate

**Premonition**

Original Title: Toaru Majutsu no Index/ とある魔術の禁書目録（インデックス）, Fate Stay Night & Tsukihime

Original Concept by Kazuma Kamachi & Type-Moon

Written by: wrathie

Co-written and Beta'ed by: ItsComplicatedOkay

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**Author's Notes: A teaser of what might in store. Please do keep in mind that the author, nor the co-author is responsible for any changes during the development of the story.**

**Co-Author's Notes: Hello!**

* * *

..

'You don't have a choice in this matter. Someone re-created the Holy Grail War ritual in this city and all of us are **already** involved in this!' explained the black-haired girl dressed in red unhappily, glaring at the others who were with her right now. It was obvious that the girl was frustrated.

Who wouldn't be if they found themselves in the middle of a war zone with naïve individuals who thought that their powers, as amazing as it was to normal individuals, would help them stop this bloody war?

'The simple fact is, even if this is happening in Academy City, where magic users like ourselves are hard pressed to use our magic it's still dangerous. No, it simply makes it even more dangerous! If they can't achieve their goals through straight confrontation, they would use more subtle and thus more dangerous methods to attack one another. They have no qualms in taking human lives and if all of you are stupid enough to try and get involved or to even think about solving the problem by apprehending them, you might as well be preparing for your own funeral!'

Tohsaka Rin, the magus girl in question, was about to continue when her companion, disciple and lover, Emiya Shirou placed one hand on her shoulder to get her to stop.

'Stop, Tohsaka.'

It had been a while since Shirou called her by her family name, one that he would only do if he was either upset or serious. Rin paused before looking back at him, and when her blue eyes met with his steely ones, Rin paused and sighed before giving up with a shrug.

'… Please, forgive Rin. She's still frustrated over the lives we were unable to save during the Last Grail War.'

Emiya Shirou spoke softly to the gathered individuals. They were young teenagers at best, who were from a organisation known as Judgement, an official volunteer watch program in Academy City. Where the two of them were currently infiltrating, and depending on the situation, might warrant a need for it to be destroyed for the sake of the world.

..

'Would you please explain yourself further, Emiya-san.' asked a serious Shirai Kuroko, a member of Judgment that had actually succeeded in 'bringing' the two of them in.

Shirou found her current behavior satisfying, from how they had interacted in the past, he expected her to be going on a childish rant of justice in the face of Rin's decision right about now.

Perhaps it was how it was similar to his own twisted ideal that made Shirou like the younger girl but it doesn't matter right now. What DID matter right now was to explain to these teenage girls the Holy Grail War and the danger and lethality that the Heaven's Feel Ritual would bring. It was most likely to shatter the normal lives of every individual living in the City.

But perhaps, with their help, this time there would be no causalities... Shirou could not help but remember the image of the blood stained and lifeless eyes of Ilysaviel as her life was cruelly taken away from her by the King of Heroes.

..

'Only if you're ready to throw your mundane life away.'

Shirou countered as he flashed a small smile with a hint of danger and regret at all of them. His smile was wiped off when another girl, this time one who who has been labelled as one of the most dangerous individuals in the city, slammed her palm onto a table.

'This entire week has been crazy already! Real magic users, how that idiot managed to get an entire organisation after him, secret assassins that turn out to be a real life super heroes... actual vampires and death gods... how would a secret war be any more life shattering!'

Did all of that happen in just one week? If they had gone through all those events, what Shirou was going to tell them really wouldn't be too much of a stretch.

'… Well, how do I begin...'

Shirou raised a hand to stop Rin, who was looking scandalized that he really was going to tell them about everything before going on anyway.

'I guess the first thing you should know is that during each war one would have to be chosen by the Grail War to be a Master...'

* * *

..

'Is the noodles done, Tohno!'

An albino haired individual growled, partly an echo to his own grumbling stomach as he waited impatiently at the dinner table with his fellow members of GROUP.

'Don't rush Shiki, Accelerator-yan!~ Anyway, don't you know the saying, the longer one waits, the better the dish!'

Another table mate- the delinquent like individual was Tsuchimikado Motoharu and he too was staring at his cutlery with an eager expression plasted on his face. Unlike the impatient duo, the other two individuals with them were more relaxed as they waited for their long overdue dinner.

The unofficial and yet official group that was named GROUP consisted of these 5 individuals, with their residential cook, Tohno Shiki slaving over the kitchen as he struggled to meet their expectations.

Speaking about the bespectacled boy, Shiki wasn't a very good cook, but compared to the rest of them, he was considered a god of the kitchen. That was why the title of official 'chef' was handed to him on a silver platter with sprinkles sprinkled on top.

Before he joined or when he joined the organisation, he was already aware of their eating habits. Convenient or not, having to lug two whole bags of instant noodle cups outside for disposal was not one would be fond of.

'It's almost done!"

Shiki called back even as he slowly distributed the plates of noodles for everyone to have a fair share.

'I wonder Arcuied would enjoy this...'

Shiki asked himself softly before dismissing that thought away from his mind, she would definitely like this dish. Heck, she will like anything if he was the one preparing it. Thinking about her depresses him but at the same time strengthened his resolve as well. He had to get out of this organisation as soon as he could. If only he could have more leads on the individual that he absolutely has to contact.

Deep Blood... a proven ability to attract and slay vampires without fail... whoever had that ability would be able to even threaten a True Ancestor.

'Oi, Tohno!'

Accelerator shouted at him again for the nth time tonight and it brought him out of his stupor again before he hurried over with the plates of noodles in tow.

'Tuck in everyone!'

* * *

..

'Whatever the case, now you are in danger, Kamijou-san. Once they figure out the true extent of your abilities, there is no question that they would want it for themselves.'

The purple haired girl spoke evenly in the apartment even as the other girl in the room scowled at her angrily and perhaps jealously too.

'I know that! I could have told Touma that!'

'And yet you did not, Index. It is unbecoming of you to keep the information of the Holy Grail War from Kamijou-san the moment you were aware of it.'

The Atlas Alchemist, Sion Eltnam Altasia smiled evenly at her rival in information collecting, Index Librorum Prohibitorum. Although in her case, Sion rightfully paled to the smaller sister besides her, who was able to memorize and store all the information of nearly all the grimoires in the entire world into her memory without going insane.

That was a feat that was potentially only achievable for her if she relapsed into her Vampire form, which she was confident of finding a cure if only she was allowed to tap into Index's store of grimoires.

However, that was not her mission here. She was supposed to put an end to something that Shiki should have ended for her. But along the way she discovered the unique ability of the 'Illusion Breaker', a power so radical and powerful that it would even shatter and sever god's blessing with it's bearer.

That said, Sion wasn't totally sure that was the case here... the red thread of fate seemed to be still quite strong and unbreakable for Kamijou Touma.

'Such misfortune... so who's going to be after me again?'

'Likely the entire magus association as well as Atlas would want to study your unique ability... even so, factoring you association with Academy City, together with the grudge that you held with the Church and it's many branches might make it a diplomatic incident... Perhaps it's best if you stay within the confines of Academy City for now... Despite the danger of the Grail War'

Sion looked surprised when Touma said that he has no plans of leaving so soon, not when it's getting dangerous for so many people.

'Can my power... be used to stop the Grail? Destroy it somehow?'

The boy is full of surprises and Sion paused for a moment, doing the calculations in her head before nodding her head easily.

'If your right hand can even destroy the blessing of gods, destroying the grail would be possible with a 99% success rate. Still, I would like to refine my calculations a little due to the lack of information that I have to work with...'

'So you'll help?'

Kamijou Touma sighed in relief while looking at Sion hopefully. He hadn't known Sion for a long time, but he trusted her. She wasn't one to mince words and was trustworthy, unlike a few others.

'I do not see a reason not to. The grail is a dangerous thing and it's presence would cause harm and danger to all individuals in the city... Furthermore, the two of you are targets yourself. You, with the wielder of the Imagine Breaker and Index Librorum Prohibitorum are tempting targets indeed. With either of your powers, reaching the Akashic Records is no longer just a pipe dream.'

* * *

..

'You... dare challenge a saint? Pick any fight with me and you'll be shortening your life-span.'

The Saint in front of Kamijou Touma stated coldly to the masked and clocked figure, even as his other opponent looked up at him in shock. The other boy obviously didn't think that he'll lend a hand so easily and he agreed. He himself wouldn't have, if not for his own conviction that old him that he had to do so.

'Go now, Kamijou... you still have a mission to accomplish and people to save.'

The masked individual spoke softly but full of purpose as he stopped Touma from exposing his identity to the world. Donning clothes that he inherited from the Counter-guardian counterpart, Shirou Emiya also had on a red mask and hood that preserved his identity. It was this identity that had became famous in the city and the world at large. Another addition to EMIYA's outfit were the two half-concealed sheathes that were strapped at his belt, it's concealment hiding the secret of his magecraft.

Secrecy and concealment, that was the name of the mercenary's game. He wasn't just that though. He was a hero: his reputation as a hero has spread throughout the world. A nameless guardian of the weak who appears to slay the oppressive and to uphold and champion the right of the free – that's who he was.

Still, it was a tacky and unthankful task as more often than not, Shirou found himself reliving the life of Counter-Guardian, with one notable exception to his values and oath.

'Go, Kamijou!'

Shirou spoke louder this time, and the boy paused before nodding and retreating, leaving Shirou and the saint alone. There were others who wanted to stay and fight together with him but if they did, they would just see how uneven the battle between them would be.

'Meeting me alone is suicide... but I will make an exception to you and give you the chance to leave, as I recognize you and what you stand for.'

The Saint said abruptly, shocking the pseudo Counter-Guardian.

'As a fellow champion of justice, I am appalled at how you have chosen to shield that man. He who might bring the entire world into chaos with his actions and that power of his.'

Was he right saying that Kaimjou can change the world? But it didn't matter, not now. He had made a promise to Rin and that means he can't fall here... besides, there isn't a Hill of Swords right here. So...

'He too shares our ideals... so we are all hypocrites in the end. There is no definite right or wrong, but the intent for our actions are the same'

A short silence passed between the two of them when Shirou finished. They were now simply two foes on different sides of the conflict judging each other before William Orwell sighed again.

'… A pity that I have to end another one who I share ideals with.'

Water started to gather around Orwell, spooling and spiralling into spheres before he reaffirmed Shirou's dedication to fight again.

'Are you certain, fellow knight? It is a pity but I shall end your legend today'

Shirou only had one line for him, as with all his foes, as with all of his battles so far. Only one Aria would carry him through this battle.

'She is the bone of my sword.'

Shirou closed his eyes and waited for it all to begin, after all, being engaged is the only way he knows how to fight.

* * *

..

'Y-You're INSANE! You can't defeat him! Don't you know who he is?'

It was her worse nightmare, no- it was everyone's worse nightmare. An insane Accelerator at his full strength attacking innocent civilians with no one to stop him. Who COULD stop him? The most power level 5-esper was without a doubt the strongest individual that the world had ever seen and would ever seen. Even herself, Misaka Mikoto and rank number 3 in the level 5-espers in Academy City would be defeated in 78 moves against that mad beast.

All they could do right now was to evacuate all the civilians that Accelerator might stumble upon: something that was difficult even with Judgement's help and authority, and this boy, probably just a university student said that he was going to stop him?

Accelerator's powers was the manipulation and control of vectors with him himself as the core of his abilities. Prior to his defeat by that idiot, Touma, he had terrorized as well as staked his claim as the strongest in the world with no one as his peer.

Being able to control all movement and being able to deflect anything, any force and any direction in his favor meant that he was unstoppable. No one could touch him or even graze him without having that action returned to him.

He wasn't totally invincible, though - in the face of the Imagine Breaker, the impossible power to negate all mystical, esper-related and magical powers, even Accelerator fell as well.

Still, this boy wasn't Touma (though it seemed that they were both idiotic), and that meant that he'd be killed in seconds.

..

'Oh, I know who he is... but I'm going to stop him.'

The boy sighed as he removed the glasses that he was wearing and smiled at her, despite her best intentions to pull him back.

'You're... YOU'RE CRAZY! Run away! Don't make me hurt you!'

Mikoto recovered from her shock even as she used her own powers to gather electricity around her, small sparks of power surging through her limbs proving that she wasn't kidding around. However, it didn't phase him at all as the boy simply smiled at her.

'Oh, you must be Misaka-san...' said the boy after he saw the sparks flying off her person.

'It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Railgun... I heard plenty about you... I'm just happy to see that you're as energetic as what they make you out to be.'

Mikoto was nonplussed by his words, and she stared at him for a while before asking him who he was.

'Ah... If you really need a name...'

The boy shrugged before his eyes narrowed, focusing on the person in front of them. Mikoto herself whirled around to see Accelerator grinning at them. No, that was not Accelerator. If Tohsaka-san and Emiya-san was right, this was just an illusion, a being created from her own fears... or the Academy City's fears of Accelerator going berserk.

But it doesn't mean it was anything less real, or intimidating or just plain terrifying.

The look of blood lust, eagerness to kill and utter contempt and dismissal for her made her knees weaken. Especially since she knew that retreat was only her option and taking him on was suicide.

'Call me Nanaya.'

The boy answered suddenly as he drawing out and brandishing a small pocket knife beside her.

'W-What are you-!'

Mikoto did not even finish her sentence before 'Nanaya" had dashed towards Accelerator quickly, his footsteps a blur and totally silent as he engaged Accelerator by himself.

'Stop!'

Mikoto did not want to see anyone die like this in front of her but instead of seeing the boy get killed in a bloody mess, the exact opposite happened: Accelerator's arm slid off easily thanks to the clean cut made by the simple switch blade. Blood was flying everywhere even as an expression of shock appeared on Accelerator's face. It was so fast and so surreal that Mikoto couldn't believe what happened. A simple stroke of Nanaya's knife was enough to sever the limb of the strongest esper in Academy City?

'W-What... are y-you?'

The illusion that was Accelerator gasped or just stared in shock before his face paled even more at the expression that the man was showing to him as he grasped his arm – now a short stump – out of panic and pain.

'A death god.'

Mikoto swore she heard him say before the knife was plunged into Accelerator's chest with no mercy at all.

* * *

..

Sion Eltnam Altasia simply stared at her savior in shock. Yes, savior was the only word to describe the man who had just lifted the spellwork off her. It was supposedly impossible, - something that even the True Ancestor herself said couldn't be done - but with a single touch of his, the hunger that she felt rumbling in her stomach was gone. It was all gone, together with the superhuman strength and stamina but Sion did not care. She was freed, freed from the curse of Wallachia in front of the Dead Apostle's eyes and that shock caused the both of them to just stare at the human boy in front of her.

Was he truly human at all? Sion was reminded of the time she met another Wild Card like him, the living Death God, Tohno Shiki and her shock then and now was almost comparable.

Almost.

'I-Impossible! To lift the curse of a vampire?! What are you!'

The Dead Apostle stared at the panting human boy in front of him even as he scratched his head and said that he really didn't know too.

'So it's true... you're the one who started it all.'

The boy, Kamijou Touma cracked his knuckles before dispelling yet another bout of supernatural power from the Dead Apostle with ease.

'Now then, Vampire... to save everyone else, I'll shatter your illusion myself!'

The boy started running running towards him, just a mundane human... no, not a mundane human, someone who quite possibly could change all fate like the Wild Card before him.

Touma and his Illusion Breaker and his courage: that was something that Sion believed in as she staggered to her own two feet.

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**Author's Notes: This collaboration is between me, wrathie and ItsComplicatedOkay~ Till the next time we meet.**


	2. Chapter 1

A Certain Feel of Fate

**Chapter 1**

Original Title: Toaru Majutsu no Index/ とある魔術の禁書目録（インデックス）, Fate/Stay Night, Melty Blood & Tsukihime

Original Concept by Kazuma Kamachi & Type-Moon

Written by: wrathie

Co-written and Beta'ed by: ItsComplicatedOkay

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**Author's Notes: **There are a few elements that are confusing here. But if there are problems, drop me a review or a pm and I'll see what I can do.

Oh, in a sense, this story is a continuation of my plans for the unfinished story: 'In the Core of a Jewel'. I know, I should finish it.. but...

**Co-Author's Notes:** We're still working out some kinks in the story, so please don't expect an update any time soon. Mwahahahaha!**  
**

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..

'You came, just as expected.'

The voice echoed throughout the entire room – scratch that. Calling the room was an understatement. It was much bigger than a room, practically a cavern seeing how large the "room" was.

Yes, the location that the boy, no, young man was in, would not look too out of place in a video game. In fact, one could rightly describe it as the lair of the final boss, or the root of all evil. It was just that ominous.

The cavern's walls were all covered from every inch with black cables that only seemed to make the entire place larger and more intimidating. It didn't help that seemingly at random, flickers of light would flash to life due to some unseen power.

The floor of the cavern was paved with black marble and polished so well that you could use it as a mirror if there was enough light. Too bad there wasn't, and the loss of a mirror wasn't the only side effect of the lack of light. Each and every step would make a sharp tap, the sound amplified due to the lack of the sense of sight, and there was nothing you could do about it.

Those two factors were enough to cause the young man a degree of stress as it took away his two most important advantages. Despite that, he kept his cool as he walked towards the middle of the room where the person who was addressing him was waiting.

Of course, one must not forget about the most defining and unique piece of décor within this hall, which was located in the deep within the compound of the most guarded building in Academy City, the building aptly-named as the Windowless Building.

The piece of décor was a large transparent tube filled with what seemed to be a glowing red liquid that happened to be in the middle of the room the two of them were in. Submerged in the red liquid and defying all logic was a single person floating weightlessly upside down within that red liquid.

That was the person that had called the young man here, and despite his reservations and unwillingness to follow his instructions, the young man's hands were tied.

'I hope you had an enjoyable and safe trip here.'

The man, could he be called as a man or a boy? His delicate, flawless and effeminate feature with long white hair that defied gravity by pointing skyward behind his upside-down figure made it hard for one to judge his gender or his age. The boy shook the thought out of his head.

'I did... it was the first time I ever travelled in a private jet...'

The young man muttered softly with a wry smile, but his eyes did not betray a hint of happiness, even as he shoved one hand into his pants pocket and scuffed his shoe rudely in front of the glass tube.

..

'I spare no expense for the ones that I desire to serve me. Seeing that you are here, you will serve me, won't you?'

The figure asked curiously even as the boy softly narrowed his eyes before he nodded wordlessly his head once in resignation. There was no mistaking about how this working relationship had been formed and the bespectacled young man looked up to stare at the figure for a moment, perhaps deciding what to say to his new 'employer' even as he removed his glasses.

'So, Shinigami-san, can you kill me then?'

The figure in the glass asked casually but once again the two of them knew exactly what he meant and why he posed that question to him of all people.

It wasn't a challenge, nor was it an insult or was it an invitation. It was a confirmation between the two of them that this was the person that he was looking for, the one who had the gift and curse that he had been given was probably unique in the world.

Who knew how much time and effort the long-haired man had put in to finally securing the power of this individual, but it was all worth it when he heard the young man's response as he removed his glasses for a brief moment.

'I won't say that I can kill god... but since I can kill you, you're human.'

..

So the figure in the tube was human after all, but that was only cold comfort for the floating man for he started laughing, the laughter slowly growing till it echoed all throughout the room. After regaining his composure, he nodded his head in acknowledgement.

'Good. That is very reassuring. It simply wouldn't do if I wasn't human now, now would it?'

His words uttered like that, seemingly in jest was enough to make the young man pause before he asked the question that had been on his mind ever since this man had tracked him down.

'Just what do you want with me, Aleister Crowley?'

'I can answer that... but wouldn't you want to ask me about her? Or maybe the power who could slay even your lover?'

'Tsk...'

The young man gave a disgusted sound even as he looked to the side at being reminded of that. In normal circumstances, there would be no way to force the talented knife-wielder to do something. Of course, this wasn't a normal circumstance. In fact, it was something of a nightmare for the young man known as Tohno Shiki.

But this was not a normal circumstance, it was something of a nightmare for the young man, Tohno Shiki.

'Once drawn in the darkness, there is only one way to escape. Destroy the being that wield the power that you fear the most... or use it for yourself. In a way, our goals might match... using _her_ to further your plans would be an acceptable deviation in my plans as well.'

'I'll pass... I don't want to be a pawn of yours.'

Tohno Shiki shook his head before taking his leave, putting his glasses and turning his back on the Director of Academy City without saying any more.

'Deep Blood...'

..

Aleister Crowley's voice rang out again in the entire room but it did not cause any change in Shiki's actions as he mused aloud for Shiki's benefit.

'Vampires always did exist after all, so is it _that _surprising that eventually there would come an individual who would be born to slay them? That is the rule of natural selection... humans would eventually find a way to fight back against their predators... It remains to see whether our predators will be able to react to this new development in natural history. It is the rule of the world after all, eat and be eaten...'

'Are you suggesting that there could be more out there?'

'Yes, but I was merely guessing, and my guess is just that: a guess. Who really knows, Tohno Shiki? Who knows indeed... Perhaps it is just the beginning of a new nightmare for you and your lover... Or maybe it be your savior instead? Regardless... if Deep Blood vindicates the sign of rebellion against the age old threat that were vampires... What would that mean if there was a being who could possibly even kill god?'

Aleister Crowley's comment chilled Shiki down to his bones as he himself had that power, the power to potentially kill anything and everything in the world with his eyes. There had never been anything that he could not kill, if it could die, he could kill it.

'If gods can die, I'm sure that you would be able to kill them, Tohno-kun.'

Tohno Shiki was unnerved by the crazed look that appeared momentarily in Aleister Crowley's eyes as he contemplated on his future plans that involved not only him, but many other parties in the world.

A plan that would allow him and the rest of humanity to progress, to grow, to prosper as well as to finally break free from the tyranny and beliefs that had limited them for so long.

'Rejoice, for we have taken the first step into a brand new page in human's history. One that will have your fingerprints all over it, Tohno-kun.'

'Don't you dare call me that.'

Having his words cut off by Shiki, Aleister Crowley paused in his own monologue as Shiki re-introduced himself again.

'I'm Nanaya Shiki... Tohno Shiki has nothing to do with you or your plans.'

Shiki's entire posture changed, gone was the slightly sick young man with a smile but ever ready smile on his face. Even when he had interacted with Aleister a moment ago, he had preserved some of that demeanor as it was ingrained deep into his character.

All that was gone now.

The man called, Tohno Shiki had killed someone in the past, and he had never stopped taking responsibility for his actions then. He had been sucked into the dark world with the Church, the Dead Apostles as well as with Atlas.

Despite all that, he had kept Tohno Shiki alive. No, he had always maintained and separated himself, Tohno Shiki from the darkness of the taint that had tried to corrupt him.

His experiences had changed him in more ways than one could count, his eyes lost the look of innocence he once had. Even if one would want to ague that Shiki had never been truly innocent after being exposed to death at such a tender age, his view of the world had been severely tainted and corrupted by what he had seen and experienced.

Yet despite all that, he remained rooted on his own beliefs of living life to his fullest every day.

It's because of the fact that he had died once, and had experienced the fear and burden of death that he did not wish to throw his life away so easily.

..

But Tohno Shiki was different from Nanaya Shiki, a part of him that he had awakened and desperately sought for in his most difficult of moment, was different from the kind-hearted Tohno Shiki. A persona of sorts that was tainted by the darkness and was due to the nature of what he had set out to do.

The person standing in front of the long-haired man was without a doubt Nanaya Shiki. This man had no right to call him by his name, the name that he had protected for so long.

'I won't let you have the responsibility for killing me.'

* * *

..

The perimeter was easy enough to penetrate, but to achieve that feat without injuring or killing anyone was impossible. Basically getting in undetected impossible, especially when the two intruders knew that their every movement was probably already tracked the moment they stepped into Academy City.

Academy City, a city that was primarily filled to the brim with many schools, institutions, research facilities and one would argue, the most technologically advanced city in the entire world.

One of the infiltrators, a young woman that was currently dressed in a dull grey parker to concealed the most of her body and face with the hood on was Tohsaka Rin. Occupation, magus of the Clock Tower and second owner of Fuyuki City.

She didn't not really believe or want to know what they meant by calling Academy City thirty years ahead of the rest of the world because as a traditional magus, science and technology to her were just ways and means of replicating magecraft in more 'practical' ways for non-magi.

Speaking about Academy City's achievements, the most defining part of Academy City, besides it's status and title of being a city of schools was the 'Power Curriculum Program', probably a set of experiments that allowed normal humans to gain what one could call supernatural powers.

Naturally, as a magus, it was difficult for Rin herself to come to grasp with that concept except but to call it a form of self-reinforcement that was centered around the brain.

Her lover and disciple, Emiya Shirou had been more concerned about this phenomenon and program when he learnt of it but Rin arrogantly ignored his concerns. There was just no way that a new-born organization like Academy City could match up to the powers, influence, and legacy of her organisation.

Unlocking one's potential sounds like a scam to her and as those variables couldn't be controlled, seeing how there were many degrees of power levels even amongst those who had unlocked their supernatural power, it was not quite a proven phenomenon.

'There's no turning back after this, Shirou.'

'I'm the one starting the infiltration, Rin... Of course I'm not going to run away. Anyway, why are you telling me this _now_?'

Her companion or one could say her accomplice was a young man dressed similarly, with the only exception being a grey cape to cover his leg movements when he was running. He sounded amused as he prepared the tools that would allow them to break into the city proper as he smirked at his Rin.

'I wanted you to have no regrets. I know that... you didn't really want to do this.'

Rin knew that Shirou wasn't not being heartless and instead wanted to take a more cautious way by giving him to look around for contacts and to scout around before they went in for real.

But Rin had, of course thrown a wrench into the plan when she volunteered the two of them for a proper assignment into Academy City that was raised by the Clock Tower.

One of the Clock Tower's sister associations, Necessarius of the Anglican Church had asked the Clock Tower for assistance in conducting discreet investigations about the presence of an 'Angel' that had appeared in Academy City.

Most of Rin's co-workers and colleagues had dismissed most of those claims as yet another overblown experiment in Academy City and Rin had been one of them. Shirou had been very perplexed at the way that Rin was treating the sensitive subject but Rin was not going to come clean and admit that perhaps her own views of other associations and their claims were slightly skewed in front of her own pride as a member of the Magus Association.

After all, Necessarius's members and their style of magecraft was totally different from their own. Having beliefs was one thing, the Church itself was another association with strong ties to their particular belief while having their own Burial Agency engage in their own shadowy transactions against beings contrary to their beliefs. But having utterly blind faith in the existence of Saints, humans who has been chosen and granted gifts from being of a higher power? Rin wanted to call that out on that if not for her own experience with a being of a higher order, the Counter Guardian EMIYA or Archer as well as the Akashic Record or the Root.

The Roman Catholic Church itself did not acknowledge the Magus Association's own beliefs but Shirou had taken the age old adage, 'When there is smoke, there is fire' and had decided to err on the side of caution regarding this particular assignment and had done his homework very vigorously.

..

A few years had passed since the conclusion of the 4th Holy Grail War, and even though the destruction of the Grail had shaken the entire Clock Tower to it's roots with the revelations of why the Grail had been destroyed, there were still things that had been more earth shattering than that.

For example Rin finding her sister, Matou Sakura and knowing that the kind hearted girl had been changed and abused to being a possible container for the Grail and had been well on the way of being corrupted by the Grail itself to be a False Grail if not for the intervention of another force during the Grail War itself was mind-blowing. If that third party had not intervened, there was the chance that Sakura might have tainted the Grail even further.

It hadn't not been too hard to discover who that force was, Rin and Shirou had met it after all during the Grail War. The Princess of the True Ancestors and a Counter Guardian of her own right had ended that threat herself with her bespectacled companion while saving Sakura in the process.

Rin had reconciled with her sister only after a long time and thanks to Shirou's incessant prodding that she do so, the three of them had started leaving together in the Emiya estate.

That was the basis of yet another very confusing part of Tohsaka Rin's life and why Rin was sometimes hesitant to call Shirou her lover. Shirou cared for her a lot and he had sworn to protect her in front of her Servant of all things but that was source of the problem.

Shirou himself was distorted, and by the nature of that distortion, he most probably would swear and vow to protect anyone who was in trouble. _Anyone._ Although she had never directly questioned Sakura about it, she was more or less right in believing that Shirou had swore that he would protect her in the future as well. How much of his promises were due to his beliefs and values and how much were due to love?

It was times like this that Rin hated Emiya Shirou as much as she liked and loved him. She was a genius: geniuses were used to knowing everything, and to not be able to figure out the man called Emiya Shirou was headache-inducing. Rin was shaken out of her reverie when Shirou spoke.

'Let's go, Rin... We have someone to save.'

said Shirou, before a small hand met the back of his head: a common occurrence when accompanying the pig-tailed magus. He didn't know why he got smacked for that remark but he took it into his stride.

After all, he lived to save and he saved to live.

Especially for the sake of the girl beside him.

* * *

..

'Such misfortune...'

Near a certain vending machine in Academy City, a boy sighed as he stared at the solitary note left in his wallet. Actually, it was not misfortune at all that he had noticed the 2000 yen note before he fed it to the machine.

Past experience had told him that if he did just that, the machine would simply eat it. He acknowledge and accepted that cruel face, so he didn't count it as misfortune. No, the misfortune came from the fact that this was the only vending machine that gave out the juice that Index had demanded.

The boy's name was Kamijou Touma and he was a student in Academy City. Like the majority of the students in Academy City, he too was taking part in the 'Power Curriculum Program' in order to unlock his potential for wielding supernatural powers.

Unfortunate or not, or perhaps, one could say that he was considered one of the normal students because he had little or no powers at all despite going through the same programs that the other students did.

In short, he was a Level 0 Esper, or an individual who was as normal as could be.

Well, besides the fact that he was the owner and wielder of the ability called 'Imagine Breaker'. Imagine Breaker was an ability that was centred around the boy's right hand and could cancel and/or destroy supernatural powers. Defining supernatural was quite a stretch to be honest but Touma could classify it as any ability or power that were not created naturally or 'artificial' in nature. With naturally referring to 'natural' things like fire and water' and things made up of natural things.

It was an ability that had left many other stronger espers as well as magus baffled and unwilling to believe that such an ability even existed.

But it did, and so the wielder of that ability, Kamijou Touma, was at the very epicentre of a power struggle between the power of science and magic. Since he resides and was a student of Academy City, he counted as being on the Science side; even if he himself was not willing to get deeply involved in the politicking of the two powers.

However, unknown to him, players from both sides had plans for the Imagine Breaker and him and that led him to the current predicament of possibly being the tipping point to set off a World War between the two sides, or at least between Academy City and the world.

What makes the thing even more dangerous for Kamijou Touma was that he himself was not fully aware of the extent of his actions. Some of them happened because he was manoeuvred into some pretty precarious actions but most of of his actions had happened due to his own will.

Like rescuing the Agnes Forces despite putting himself on a collision course with the Roman Catholic Church as well as coming to blows with Vent of the Front for guarding Kazakiri Hyouka despite her being an artificial angel.

So many things have happened so far and for any normal high school student, he should have been reeling from all that.

But he didn't, because he was still finding his own reason for getting into this mess. In a way, Kamijou Touma was fighting to learn who he was, for he had already lost all his memories during the Index fiasco.

..

Speaking of Index, she was the girl that was currently living with him, and her full name was Index Librorum Prohibitorum, or the 'List of Forbidden Books'. Touma could never really bring himself to ask what had transpired between the two of them for him to be her official guardian. But he knew that whoever he was and whatever happened before hand, he did not want to see Index sad and he wanted to protect her for as long as he could.

She too was also the precursor to many of the incidents that Touma got involved in with the magus, or the Magic side, like how Touma had came to describe them after a while. Index and many of the magus that he met belonged to Necessarius, a branch of the Anglican Church that he had been forced, coerced and manipulated into helping out many times in the past.

Eventually he knew things would come to a head, but until then... perhaps it'll be good for him to enjoy his normal life right now.

'Ah, what a surprise to see you here, Kamijou-san.'

Touma jumped out of surprise from his position and whirled around to see a girl curtseying to him. She wore the uniform of Tokiwadai Middle School and had her hair done up in twin-tails, that meant she could only be Shirai Kuroko, an acquaintance of Touma's.

'Shirai-san?'

'Yes, it is indeed me. Please pardon me for the intrusion but I would like to buy a drink from the vending machine for Onee-sama. Speaking of Onee-sama, unfortunately today she has to finish up some homework that she had neglected to tackle during the week. As you know, that does take quite a bit of time. Isn't it unfortunate that you wouldn't be able to rendezvous with her today, Kamijou-san?'

The last sentence by Kuroko was enough to send chills up Touma's back but he simply shrugged it off and gave way to Kuroko, causing her to blanch at him.

'N-No way! So it is true! You were planning to rendezvous with Onee-sama? Why, why must Onee-sama keep it from me! Kuroko, Kuroko would give her blessings to Onee-sama, _**not**_!'

It was due to his own instincts, homed by the dangerous things that he had came across that he reflexively negated Kuroko's ability by darting his hand towards hers the moment she rested it on his shoulders.

Touma didn't think that Kuroko would hurt him, seeing that he had saved her once before. She'd probably only teleport to some random location as a prank, but he flushed when Kuroko's hands was quickly retracted as she gave her best impression of a shocked and innocent school-girl at Touma's touch.

'Ah, I'm being defiled by this... Ape! To think that it was all a ploy to take advantage of sweet, nubile and innocent me!'

'Such misfortune...'

Touma sighed even as he rolled his eyes at Kuroko's theatrics, he had gotten used to the wordplay by Kuroko over their few interactions in the past and seeing that she had not gotten the response that she wanted from Touma, Kuroko stopped and shook her head again.

'Mah mah... I guess it is difficult to ignore the charms of Onee-sama, but would you please, Kaimijou-san?'

Kuroko asked politely for permission from Touma, who gave way to her. As she nodded and got two drinks by herself, she paused before looking at him in confusion.

'I assume you are here to get a drink as well, Kamijou-san, why, if I may ask, have you not done so?'

'Ah...'

..

Touma took some time to explain about how Index had apparently gotten an obsession over a particular type of drink over the last few days and this was the only vending machine that sold it.

'I see. Well, why are you hesitating then, Kamijou-san? Unless you are not willing to indulge that Sister of yours?'

Kuroko knew of Index, the two of them did meet before during the School Festival after all and although sceptical about their relationships, she had let it slide seeing that a love rival for her onee-sama counts as a plus in her book.

She could then comfort her onee-sama and for the two of them to re-affirm their love and bond together-

'Shirai-san? Are you okay? You're looking very odd just now.'

The Level 0 Esper frowned even as he waving a hand in front of the girl's dazed face. She snapped out of her lustful reverie, and quickly composed herself.

'Ahaha, it is nothing, Kamijou-san, I was just thinking about onee-sama after all. Well, although it is demeaning for a gentleman to accept gifts from a lady, here is some change for you as a gesture of my friendship with Index-san. Please, do give me regards to her and to tell her that I am supporting her.'

Shirai Kuroko gave Touma a wink to his confusion and was just about to leave when her cellphone rang, causing her to pause and subsequently narrow her eyes when she saw the number listed on it. The identity of the caller confirmed, she quickly took it.

'Yes, this is Shirai Kuroko. … I see, I understand, I'll make my way there now.'

Even as she spoke with the person on the line, Kuroko had pulled out the armband that showed her membership of the student run neighbourhood watch program, Judgement.

Touma was aware of this and he wished him luck even as Kuroko disappeared, using her powers to reach her destination and leaving him behind.

'I wonder what's going on there now.'

Touma knew better to get involved for judging by his luck and track record, trouble would sure to befall him if he got involved in every single incident happening in Academy City.

..

Even if Academy City was technologically advanced and has their own share of robotic peacekeepers and cleaners, since this was a City full of unpredictable Espers would always have individuals who could get the better of them and who would abuse their powers with complete disregard of the general population.

However this time if Touma had known that it would involve one of his friends, he would intervened immediately.

Unfortunately for him, he didn't... but thankfully for him and Shirai Kuroko, another person was there to pick up the slack.

* * *

**Author's Notes: If you have any comments, feel free to include them!**


	3. Chapter 2

A Certain Feel of Fate

**Chapter 2**

Original Title: Toaru Majutsu no Index/ とある魔術の禁書目録（インデックス）, Fate Stay Night & Tsukihime

Original Concept by Kazuma Kamachi & Type-Moon

Written by: wrathie

Co-written and Beta'ed by: ItsComplicatedOkay

* * *

**Author's Notes: School is starting. Expect further delays, sorry!**

**Co-Author's Notes: Sorry to keep any followers waiting! *looks at the list of reviews* Well, there are certainly not that many, but that doesn't matter, right? Again, I apologize!**

* * *

..

'I wonder what is taking Kuroko...'

A certain light brown haired Level 5 esper muttered to herself even as she read -, _browsed_ through the latest weekly issue of her magazine. Sure, she could afford the magazine alright, but it probably wasn't worth it anyway. Heck, if it wasn't for a certain series in that magazine, she probably wouldn't even pick the mediocre periodical up.

If not for that particular series in that magazine, she probably wouldn't even pick it up in the first place.

'Honestly, he gets better and better each week.'

Misaka Mikoto, currently ranked third amongst all the espers in Academy City, smiled and chuckled to herself even as she waited for her dorm-mate slash best friend Shirai Kuroko.

The two of them studied in Tokiwadai Middle School, one of the few prestigious schools throughout Academy City itself, and because of that and her status as one of the Level 5s of the City, a title that was earned due to her powers over electricity, she was admired and looked up to by many. (She was feared by many too, but she didn't feel like going into greater detail)

That was not even mentioning how she had, unwittingly most of the time, saved many of her own school mates just by going about her ordinary way. All in all, Misaka Mikoto wasn't your typical spoiled or haughty rich girl that people try to associate her with, nor was she the refined and demure girl that her fans want her to be. She was just an ordinary middle school girl that liked to do what she wanted with her free time.

There were times when she did use her powers to save those in need, like in the 'Level Upper' incident where she stopped a rampaging monster made out of about 10 000 espers and their AIM field. There's also the time where she saved the Child Errors from the manipulative use of yet another crazy scientist.

Mikoto herself was proud of her accomplishments but she was also proud of the friends that she had made over the past year or so. Her best friends, namely Shirai Kuroko, Saten Ruiko and Kazari Uiharu had all played huge roles in said incidents, and she could proudly say that all of them had solved those incidents together. Mikoto had never considered or perhaps she was lying to herself, she had never thought that her powers could be used in such meaningful ways.

She was not trying to be a hero and she had taken part in most of the incidents because she was dragged into it by her friends and if one thing had to be emphasized as well as stressed, Misaka Mikoto always looked out for her friends no matter what.

That was why she had gotten herself into those incidents, and had used her powers to try and resolve them in the best way possible. The age old dilemma of good and bad was not lost on Mikoto as she had seen first hand the differences between the two of them were. At the same time however, she too acknowledged that some people, although called 'evil' and who have done terrible things could also be viewed as 'good' and 'right' when viewed differently.

The 'poltergeist' incident had shown her that, Kiyama Harumi had the best of intentions but the worst of results. Just thinking about the whole incident was like a emotional roller-coaster ride all over again.

'…'

It wasn't that her mood was spoiled, no, she had came out of that incident a little bit more mature and perhaps a little bit more set in her determination to live her life out the way she wanted it to be as well.

..

'But she really is taking too long...'

As Mikoto finished, ahem, browsing through this week's publication, she was surprised to hear the ear-piercing sounds of sirens before looking out the shop window. As she expected, the sight of cars belonging to Judgement, the residential disciplinary committee in Academy City, sped by. Speaking of Judgement, It was something like a volunteer watch program of sorts for the city. Seeing that her friend, Shirai Kuroko was part of that committee, Mikoto knew immediately why the girl was so late and she sighed while smiling a little.

'Guess a jobs a job.'

Even As she placed the magazine back onto the rack, Mikoto raised an eyebrow when she noticed that the stream of Judgement cars continued and there were surprisingly Anti-Skill cars now in the mix as the cars sped by the shop.

It wasn't that rare for Judgement to be mobilized, Academy City for all it's namesake and good name does was a place were everyone and anyone could be a threat to someone else through _creative _uses of their powers. She had seen Judgement being deployed more than she could count now. Perhaps she could use the line from that idiot, 'such misfortune'? She quickly shook that stupid thought out of her head.

'Ah... just thinking about him makes me mad.'

Shoving the frustration aside, Mikoto left the shop more curious than ever when the sounds of sirens was muffled by the sounds of a helicopter flying past. They were really going full out now and Mikoto felt her hands twitch in anticipation before suppressing it coldly.

'I can't get involved in _everything_ that Kuroko and Judgement has to deal with. I might as well join Judgement in that case.'

Mikoto told herself sternly even as she left in the opposite way, even if she found herself playing with her phone hesitantly.

'Seriously, Kuroko could take care of herself.'

Mikoto repeatedly, and sternly told herself while walking on in her own pace. She could feel it; an uneasy feeling deep in her stomach that she was trying to drown out by with her denial. A part of her told her that Kuroko and Judgement were in danger.

'…'

She didn't know how right she was.

* * *

..

'Hey!'

An albino haired boy growled unhappily at his room mate and team mate, the mysterious person that wears the face of a person called Unabara Mitsuki. The albino boy, known to most as Accelerator, knew of the identity of this Unabara Mitsuki and he knew that the person in front of him wasn't that person. So naturally it frustrated him when even now, where they had worked and operated together in several life-or-death missions, he had not yet reveal his true name to all of them.

'What is it, Accelerator? I don't think I did anything to make you mad at me this afternoon.'

The boy smiled at him disarmingly and charmingly even as Accelerator swore to himself loudly again while telling him to just cut the crap and get to the point.

'Get to the point of what matter, Accelerator? I believe I did not sign up to be your personal secretary.'

The boy smiled again and Accelerator twitched before giving a big sigh and saying that he must have a death wish if he was willing to provoke him like that.

'That... or you have no idea what's going on too, kid.'

'I am not a kid, Accelerator.'

'Hmph, who knows... you might be 6 years old underneath that fake mask of yours.'

There was a deafening silence between the two of them, but eventually, the other boy sighed and admitted that yes, he didn't know anything about their new member in GROUP.

GROUP, an unofficial yet official group of individuals that were organized by Academy City. They were unofficial as the organisation does not really exist or was listed in Academy City. Their actions would never be acknowledged and any but yet they were official as they had the backing of Academy City behind them.

Indeed, Academy City depended on them to clear up any messes that were left behind by their gigantic wake. The people that were left behind after the City was done with them, the people who wanted to manipulate and to use the population or to just plainly take over the City would be dealt with by them.

All of them joined GROUP for a common reason and that was _definitely_ not because they wanted to protect Academy City. They were here because they had something to protect, something dear to them that was being threatened.

Just knowing that was enough to depress any other person but to the members of GROUP, it was motivation for all of them to break out of this trap that they had fallen into, willingly or not.

'Heh, another poor sap who is going to get his ass kicked by Musujime huh? Unless she's a girl...'

Accelerator grinned while shrugging at his room mate. Missions aside, he doesn't get along with most of them but he does acknowledges the other's strength and ability. Even without considering his own liability, Accelerator grudgingly was thankful that all of them were working together, even if they had different final objectives as that meant that the bulk of the work could be split up. GROUP was heartless and it should remain so, if one wasn't strong enough to keep going, the others would simply trample and walk over them without hesitation. That was the only way for GROUP to exist. It was also probably one of the only things that Accelerator agreed with Tsuchimikado on.

..

'The new member should be coming by later today~! Gotta be great if we get another girl to join us eh? Musujime isn't half bad, but it'll be nice to have someone a little more... girly nyah~ I'm getting sick of just eating takeout.'

Tsuchimikado Motoharu came out from the kitchen, canned drinks in hand as he blinked before grinning and tossing two of them at Accelerator and the boy from before.

'Hmph... you're not wrong there... who are you going to introduce yourself as later on? Unabara again?'

'Well, seeing that my face is indeed of Unabara-san, I have to say yes. Besides, I like to make a good first impression.'

'Feh, saves you time when you stab him in the back, I take it.'

Accelerator gave him a calculating look before grinning as Unabara simply smiled knowingly at him, Accelerator swore that that same smile never leaves that pretty rich-boy face of his.

'If that poor sap is just going to get killed by you like that, he's probably not worth joining us anyway. Thrash should be dealt with as thrash after all.'

Accelerator snorted even as he started on his drink before giving a disgusted look at Tsuchimikado.

'What the F- is this drink man!'

'Canned Curry... '

Tsuchimikado mused, as if it was just a passing thought.

'I should have made it warm instead... now it tastes like it's gone bad nyah~'

Despite the fact that he complained, he didn't seem too bothered by it actually and was still taking big gulps of it even as Accelerator and Unabara gave their own drinks speculative looks and slowly resumed drinking again.

'This... isn't half bad at all. I wonder what would happen if I added it to rice.'

Unabara muttered to himself even as Accelerator continued to mumble to himself about how they should have 'normal' drinks here by now.

..

'We'll know soon anyway.'

Unabara continued their earlier conversation as the three of them settled down for a quiet afternoon, which was a nice change for all of them after the last incident they had been tasked to handle.

Accelerator hadn't been hurt too badly but Musujime Awaki, the last founding member of GROUP still needed some medical attention due to the wounds that she had suffered during their last mission.

'Musujime's picking the person up now?'

'Yep... the higher-ups must really like that person for them to give us this day off just to welcome him into GROUP.'

Tsuchimikado joked but the message itself was clear, despite their jokes as well as their questions about this person. That person was someone the higher-ups in GROUP and in Academy City has taken a lot of care to place into GROUP itself. They were one of the few unofficial and official groups that were more 'loyal' than the others after all.

The three of them waited for a bit more and just when Accelerator was getting drawn into yet another conversation with Tsuchimikado about his own taste in woman, the door was pushed opened.

'Here, this is the safe house for GROUP.'

The voice of Musujime Awaki could be heard. Her voice started the three boys impatient wait for the latest addition to GROUP.

'It's my first time into Academy City, I'm grateful to you for taking me all the way here, Musujime-san.'

The voice of a boy with her could be heard too, and even as the other two ignored Tsuchimikado's sigh of disappointment, they could hear Musujime Awaki snort, even as she said that she was a member of GROUP as well.

'Sorry to disappoint you but it's not all full of hot girls like me.'

Accelerator snorted himself at that, even as Unabara gave him a wry smile while placing a finger on his lips. Internally Unabara agreed with him but he was loathe to clean up the mess that would result from the Level 4 and Level 5 engaging each other again. The last time it happened he had to spend a few days just combing through the wreckage to see what was salvageable.

'Ah, I do apologize for my mistake. It's just that I did not expect someone like you to be working in such a dangerous profession.'

'Ah, you got that bit right... now are you going to get in or am I going to haul your sorry ass into it myself? If you're going to be a burden, I'll save you the trouble, and kill you right now.'

This time it was Unabara to give a snort of amusement as he shook his head at the way all of them gave out death threats like they were pleasantries. The newcomer seem used to it though as he chuckled softly before stepping into the small apartment by himself.

'Ah.'

The newcomer paused briefly while sizing up at his other team mates of GROUP, the three boys giving their own measurement up of the sickly looking man in front of them. He was young, with messy black hair as well as glasses and he gave them a short bow before introducing himself. He didn't look like your usual cold-blooded killer, that's for sure.

'I'm Shiki, To-... I mean, Nanaya Shiki, you can call me Shiki or Nanaya... Guess I'll be in you guy's care.'

The boy gave them a small smile even as he adjusted his glasses casually, his eyes radiating warmth and understanding as he looked around at his new comrades.

..

Tohno Shiki, also know as the Wild Card and Death God, was unsure what to make of his fellow members of GROUP. Shiki had never worked in a team before (pairing up with a True Ancestor Princess, who was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, didn't count), and despite his easy-going nature, Shiki had developed a tendency to want to keep to himself the time he decided to leave the Tohno Mansion and his home town behind.

The last working partnership that he had struck up was with the Atlas Alchemist, Sion Eltnam Altasia and even if he did value the time he spent with the Atlas Alchemist, they hadn't really worked together at all.

Not when the first 'battle' they had together was Shiki single-handedly repelling Ciel-sempai, the second being that ill-fated encounter with the shadow of Satsuki and the rest being handled by Sion herself.

In all of those battles, it had been one of them who had taken the battle into their own hands while the other member simply watched and guarded their back.

Wait, that was a partnership right? Guess he had some experience after all.

Still, Shiki knew that partnership between he and her had been forged and formed through mutual trust. There was no such feelings within GROUP, the organisation that Aleister Crowley had placed him in.

He had read up on the files that had been thoughtfully provided to him by the Director himself and was up-to-date on most of the abilities of his fellow team mates. What struck out to him was not how all of them had killed before in one time or another, he had done the same before, but how the three of them had even managed to come to an understanding amongst each other and decided to work together.

'Aha~ Nice to meet you, Shiki-kun! I'm Tsuchimikado Motoharu nyah! Good to see you didn't hit on Musujime just yet! She's only into young boys you know!'

Tsuchimikado winked while pushing his sunglasses up even as Musujime simply growled at him before shaking her head and said that she was going to her room.

'And I'm _not_ a freaking shota-con, you pervert.'

Her last parting shot sounded a little softerthan usual, and it made Tsuchimikado raise an eyebrow while looking at Shiki speculatively.

'Hey, Shiki-kun... Did you do something to Musujime nyah? She never acts like that?'

Tsuchimikado looked to his fellow GROUP members for confirmation and help in making his point across. In response, Accelerator was still staring at Shiki, probably studying him while Unabara simply gave a charming smile of his own.

'You know, that seems right. Musujime-san seemed quite embarrassed for some reason. Did something happen on the way here, Shiki-san?'

'I'm not really sure myself.'

Shiki said wile shaking his head and massaging his neck. All he did was to stop Musujime-san from hitting the pavement when she was walking him back from Aleister's hideout. She had been the person who had brought him into the Windowless building in the first place, since only teleporters can enter the building due to the extensive counter measures that were put up by the Director himself.

Speaking of the director, Shiki wasn't lying when he said that Aleister Crowley was a human, but to call him human was wrong. He was certainly killable as through his mystic eyes, Shiki could definitely make out the exact points of death for the Director. However, they were extremely hard to make out even if the cracks and 'lines' in his bodies were more visible to him.

Besides, killing him would require him to get in within his guard and seeing how the Director knew of his abilities, Shiki knew it was a pipe dream to ever manage that... whether he needed to do that, remains to be seen.

Going back to the main topic, Musujime-san had apparently an attack of vertigo when they had left the building and she had stumbled the moment they teleported outside. With her in his arms, Shiki noticed _something _dropped to the ground. He swiftly crouched, picked up the_ thing_ before Musujime-san could tumble, and returned it to her.

The look of relief on Musujime's was enough for him to be satisfied, but his satisfaction was damped some what when she had snapped irritably back at him, while asking why he wanted to help her.

Shiki hadn't answered as he didn't see any reason why not but he did told Musujime that he would be in her care for a while.

_'For the time being, let us get along. We're fellow team-mates now, Musujime-san.'_

..

That was all he said while waiting for her to recover, Shiki swore as he told his other team-mates of GROUP.

When Shiki was done, Accelerator simply snorted.

'You'll get yourself killed if you pull us back, Nanaya.'

Accelerator's eyes hardened as he grinned, baring is teeth even as he turned on his powers with a flick of the switch around his collar. With that, the strongest esper of Academy City was awakened, and he flexed his hands threateningly at Shiki.

'If you're going to believe in that friendship nonsense, perhaps it'll be better just to kill you now.'

If Shiki expected the others to stop him, he would be disappointed. Unabara Mitsuki simply watched the interaction with a brief smile, probably studying the situation as well. Tsuchimikado Motoharu was the same, only his expression was as sharp as the sunglasses he was wearing, which slid down the bridge of his nose to reveal his eyes. He too was focused on Shiki, studying him as well.

What the two of them could determine was that despite the murderous aura that was coming off of from Accelerator in waves, the boy did not even flinch. That was surprising, facing Accelerator on the best of days wasn't a joke, this was an individual who had murdered in cold blood, had found joy in killing people in every way possible and he would do anything, no matter the cost to reach his goal.

But even a much reduced killing aura like this was similar to a physical blow, and Nanaya Shiki did not flinch. He didn't even seem to react as he continued smiling at Accelerator.

'Oh, please, you do not need to hold back on my account. I don't prefer frontal attacks if I could help it.'

Shiki's words made Accelerator laugh, the albino boy grinning as he found it amusing how the sickly man would be unaffected by the presence of the strongest esper in Academy City.

'You don't know what you're getting into, Nanaya... When you're in GROUP, you don't talk about teams or friendship or any of that crap. We're here to clean up the mess left by those higher-ups... If the higher-ups wanted you to come and build some team-building crap, you can go back and ask them to take it, and stuff it right back their asses. Better yet, I'll do it for them.'

Tsuchimikado actually grinned at that, that was a sentiment that had governed GROUP since they had officially agreed to 'get-along' for bit.

'I'll be sure to pass the message along, Accelerator-san. But I'm sure that it won't be necessary. We have the same goals after all, I for one would be very glad to have this entire nightmare dissolved as quickly as possible.'

Shiki answered light-heartedly while removing his glasses. Instantly, all of them felt something change in the very instant. His pale blue eyes – eyes that Unabara could recognized as a pair of pure or mystic eyes, seemed to add a sudden weight to everyone but their owner.

Even if Shiki seemed to be struggling a little suddenly without his glasses, everything felt more heavy... more fragile, as if the whole world would shatter with just one false move

Even Accelerator felt intimidated, his own eyes widening.

All three of them had been in life-and-death situations before, and they had homed an instinct – a sixth sense - which made them aware of the feeling of mortal peril a very fundamental and primal level. That very sense was screaming when they felt Shiki's eyes on them. A bone-chilling feeling that penetrated their very bones and made their hands glistened with sweat involuntarily; a feeling that told them to run away before it was too late!

It was at that instant that the members of GROUP knew for sure that there was something different about the boy named Nanaya Shiki in front of them.

..

'Well, that was an interesting experience, Shiki-san. Like you, I hope that this will be a very short working relationship between us.'

Unabara Mitsuki got up and offered a hand to Shiki, and the boy took it, shaking it firmly while placing his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose. Unabara could sense it, the intense presence he had before was masked the moment he had his glasses on and he peered into his eyes again before Shiki averted his eyes.

'Looks like things would become interesting after all! Tsuchimikado Motoharu here! I like you, Shiki-kun! Mind telling us more about yourself! I'll get us some beer to celebrate!'

The blonde haired boy grinned but then seemed disappointed when Shiki turned him down.

'I'm afraid I would have to take a short rest for now. Perhaps another day... as entertaining the ride here was, it does take a toll on my body.'

The boy gave them all a brief smile before he took his leave, heading towards a room that Motoharu indicated earlier even as the rest of the boys watched him leave.

Accelerator was the first person to recover, and he realized that he had one hand on the switch of his collar despite the fact that it was already turned on. It was like he had instinctively went for the switch to defend himself despite his powers already active. It left a bitter taste in his mouth as it hinted that he had being intimidated more than he would have liked to admit.

Those eyes, it made him afraid for some reason.

'AHH! What are you doing here!'

Only for the spell to be broken as they heard Musujime's shriek before the sound of an almighty crash coming from the rooms.

'Oops, guess I got the wrong room nyah~'

Motoharu gave the other boys an amused grin even as Unabara gave a soft chuckle in response. Accelerator himself simply switched off his powers before scowling at nothing in particular.

'Like I said, Accelerator-kun~ Things are going to get interesting... guess we might have a chance to break out of this nonsense after all.'

Motoharu's voice was uncharacteristically serious and even Unabara seemed intrigued as he tried to recall the records of pure and mystic eye holders.

'Something big is going to happen. I can feel it.'

Motoharu asserted again before Accelerator grunted in response.

'And we're the ones who're gonna have to clean the shit up.'

* * *

..

The Atlas Alchemist that was mentioned earlier was Sion Eltnam Altasia and at the very moment, was a fugitive on the run within Academy City itself.

She had reckoned that it would be an easy task to enter Academy City, after all, it was known as the City of Schools. Sion prided herself as an intellect and even if she was specialized in fields that were not covered by Academy City, she was still a very respected scholar and researcher into ancient history, text as well as folklore due to her own attempts to discover a cure for Vampirism.

She was also recognized in Atlas, the Church as well as the Magus Association for being a very brilliant researcher who had contributed to many research papers on the study of ancient text, especially from Egypt, her birth land.

Thus it had been easy for her to be granted access to Academy City through official channels. What she did not expect was for her own association, Atlas, to issue a request for her to be arrested and returned to Atlas.

Ever since the defeat and slaying of the Dead Apostle, Night of Wallachia, Sion had been allowed to return to Atlas to continue her studies and research. It was of course, not without repercussions of course, she was the sole survivor of an entire task force of enforcers and specialists to slay Wallachia. There was suspicion that she was in cahoots with Wallachia. She _did_ survived the attack after all. It didn't help that the Night of Wallachia was considered to be an ancestor to her. Due to this, Sion had spent years trying to clear her name by defeating Wallachia herself.

If Atlas or the Magus association knew that she had been turned, if only partially to a Vampire, she was never going to be allowed to leave Atlas or the Magus Association. That was not even considering what the Church would want to do to her.

The vampiric impulses had all but died down after Wallachia's death and it was supposedly the end of the darkest chapter of Sion's life.

At least, that's what it was supposed to have happen.

It had started slowly, the urges to drink blood had awakened without her knowing it. It was only when Sion found herself gnawing at her own wrist that she realized that her nightmare was returning again.

A remnant of Wallachia exist and that meant only one thing.

She had to hunt it down, or risk being the Dead Apostle to replace him.

Sion had tracked it down to Academy City, a city that she knew that was going to be the epicentre of the dawn of a New Age. Sion was no fool after all and she had hoped that the political tension and heat that Academy City would prevent Atlas from seeking help from them in capturing her and taking her back.

Unfortunately that did not seem to be the case, Atlas wanted answers and silly politics was not going to stop them from trying to get them. It was an approach that wasn't Atlas' norm, they must have have figured out the connection between her and Wallachia for Atlas to actually seek her out so aggressive.

That was what Atlas was. It was an association who dedicated themselves in endless research to search for a way to prevent a future apocalypse that would decimate all life on earth after all. For the entire association to seek her so aggressively meant that somehow, Sion might become a threat for all life on earth.

The sad thing about all of this was that Sion knew exactly what they were concerned about. She was a potential Dead Apostle after all, who knows what form she would take if she had truly succumbed to the urges of a Dead Apostle then...

..

'This should be far enough.'

Sion had been taken by surprise when she received the news from one of her informants within the city that she had officially being placed on a wanted list in Academy City.

Sion had learnt from her mistake Misaki City and had taken the time and resources to search for reliable contacts within the City itself. Not that she was not cautious of her contacts of course, but she had used the Ethelite to 'hack' into some Law Enforcement members she had encountered while getting her visa cleared to enter the city.

All in all, she had at least ten separate contacts within Academy City itself giving her information on the general situation of Academy City.

'But to think that my hotel reservation would be cancelled.'

Sion narrowed her eyes a little before shaking her head, staying in a hotel would be incredibly illogical now, she was a fugitive after all. Thankfully she wasn't really a high priority one since there was another group of intruders that had slipped into Academy City in a more flashy fashion.

Sion sighed again before quickly moving out of the alleyway that she had ducked into for cover. Sion had gotten used to moving about discretely, no doubt due to her experience and unfortunately so, she startled an individual who had his head in the clouds.

The individual was so startled by Sion's appearance, or perhaps he was just mistrustful as he leapt backwards from her like a startled cat. Sion recognized that it was probably a reflex action as his right hand had shot up in a strange defense position, causing his bag of groceries to drop onto the floor with a pathetic 'smush'.

'Ah, my precious source of protein!'

Sion paused as she recognized this individual. He was someone that she was aware of, had read up on and was more than a little intrigued about.

But to imagine that he would be here, and she would meet him now. Could it be called misfortune for him? Or perhaps a lucky break for her?

Nonetheless, Sion Eltnam Altasia recognized that an opportunity when she saw one.

'Kamijou Touma-san, a Level-0 Esper of Academy City and the wielder of the mysterious power commonly referred as the 'Imagine Breaker'.'

Her words startled Touma and he looked up before swallowing at seeing the exotic looking girl in that was currently studying him. There was no other way to describe her, with the pale white skin, eyes that were slightly tinged red, but dressed in a simple business suit with a beret that still made her stand out in a crowd. Academy City was still a city filled with students after all.

'My name is Sion Eltnam Altasia, Alchemist of Atlas.'

'Erm... Hi?'

Touma tensed, he could feel that this individual was someone different and that was not just due to her appearance. He could tell due to his experience with strangers who would suddenly crash into his everyday life with the intent to utterly destroy his grasp of reality. He was also much inured to it, and he readied himself for another crazy episode in his already crazy life.

What he did not expect however, was for Sion to drop to her knees before lowering her head in a very deep and formal bow, prostrating herself in front of the unlucky esper.

'Please, Kamijou-san, I desperately require your assistance and help. Would you please allow me to have some time to explain the situation to you?'

Sion begged Touma, still in her humble position even as her mind raced.

The most important lesson for Sion Eltnam Altasia during the slaying of Wallacia was that it was okay, it was fine and it might be better to ask for help rather than demand it. Especially to people like Kamijou Touma and Tohno Shiki. Individuals who would never be strong-armed or coerced to do things against their will without a fight.

However, if they offered their help willingly... There was nothing they could not achieve.

'Please, Kamijou-san. Would you please listen to my story?'

Sion kept her head down even as she waited patiently and nervously for an answer. If she was in Atlas, or if she was negotiating with another magus, alchemist or even individual, such a sudden request would almost surely be turned down.

'… Such misfortune.'

Sion heard the boy sigh to himself before she saw a hand being offered to her.

'Alright... I guess I could listen to you for a while...'

* * *

**Author's Notes: Oh yes, I know Melty Blood is a different franchise than Tsukihime, but for completeness sake, let's count it within it.  
**


End file.
